Baseball training system and method
A baseball training system and method for training a player is shown. The baseball system and method includes a collector for collecting thrown balls and directing them to a throwback unit which has multiple adjusters for adjusting various characteristics of a ball being thrown back. The throwback unit can be adjusted to accommodate different ball sizes to change a trajectory of a ball being thrown back by the throwback unit.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a baseball training and system and method and, more particularly, a baseball training and system training method that comprises a collapsible and portable collector that directs balls to a throwback unit that is capable of providing multiple adjustments to permit a characteristic, such as a ball size capability, ball return trajectory or angle of ball return.
2. Description of Related Art
In the past, various ball throwing devices and nets have been used to assist training a player, especially a pitcher. For example, some of the devices disclose ball throwing devices in which a pair of rotary wheels are independently adjustable in speed to achieve the throwing of a ball with wide variations in velocity and curvature. Also, nets have been used in the past to collect thrown balls. However, there is no known patent or prior art that provides for a system and method that enables automatic collection of the balls and feeding of the balls which returns the balls to the player who throws the balls towards a target on the collector and in which the thrower is adjustable to accommodate balls of different sizes, to adjust the trajectory of balls thrown and which may be utilized in combination with other features, such as a speed sensor which measures a velocity of the ball and a ball sensor which provides an indication to the player when a ball is going to be thrown at him.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to overcome one or more of the problems associated with the prior art devices by providing a ball pitching system and method that provides multiple adjustments of a characteristic of the ball throwing device, such as a ball trajectory adjustment and a ball size adjustment.
In one aspect, the invention comprises a baseball training system comprising a target, a collector for collecting balls thrown at the target by a thrower a throwback unit associated with said collector for receiving collected balls back to said thrower, said throwback unit comprising a base, a drive motor mounted on said base, a wheel coupled to said drive motor, and a guide, at least one of said wheel or said guide being adjustable to permit adjustment of a characteristic of said baseball training system.
In another aspect, the invention comprises a throwback system comprising a base, a drive motor mounted on said base a wheel coupled to and driven by said drive motor and a guide at least one of said wheel or said guide being adjustable to permit adjustment of a characteristic of said throwback system.
In still another aspect, the invention comprises a method for returning thrown balls to a player, said method comprising the steps of providing a throwback unit, situating said throwback unit in operative relationship with a collector for collecting balls thrown at a target associated with the collector, adjusting said throwback unit to accommodate a desired ball size and adjusting said throwback unit to return a ball along a predetermined ball return trajectory.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
Referring now to
Features of the collector 12 will now be described. As illustrated in
Referring to
The frame 28 further comprises rear tubular members 38 (
Although not shown, one or more of the ends 38a and 40a may comprise spring-loaded detents, which cooperate with apertures or holes in the brackets 44 and 48 to permit the tubular members 38 and 40 to be disassembled from the brackets 44 and 48 in a manner similar to what is conventionally known in camping arts mentioned earlier.
The collector 12 further comprises a floor 50 (
The frame member 62 comprises a first leg portion 62a, a second leg portion 62b and a joining portion 62c that joins the portions 62a and 62b. Likewise, the member 64 comprises a first leg portion 64a, a second leg portion 64b and a joining portion 64c. Notice a length of the joining portion 64c is shorter than a length of the joining portion 62c of member 64 as shown. It should be understood, as viewed in
The collector 12 further comprises a ball speed sensor 76 (
In the embodiment being described, the collector 12 collapses as will now be described relative to
As illustrated in
After the floor 50 is moved to the stored position shown in
The system 10 further comprises the throwback unit 18 which will now be described. As illustrated in
Referring now to exploded view in
The throwback unit 18 further comprises a first adjuster 114 (
As best illustrated in the sectional view shown in
It should be understood that the adjuster 114 enables the system and method of the present invention to be adjustable in order to accommodate balls of different sizes, such as girls' baseballs used in playing hardball and softball or boys' baseballs used when playing softball or hardball.
As illustrated in
The throwback unit 18 further comprises a visual ball-size gauge 146 comprising a pivotal gauge arm 148, as best illustrated in
Further to the illustration,
The system 10 further comprises a trajectory adjuster 160 (
The trajectory adjuster 160 comprises a post 162 (
A rotatable handle or crank 166 rotatably drives the threaded member 168 which cooperates with the nut 164 to drive linkage 170 which, in turn, pivotally drives a connector member 172. This causes a pivot linkage member 174 (
It has been found that it may be necessary or desired to adjust the ball height adjuster 114 after the trajectory adjuster 160 has been set. It should be understood, however, that a user may adjust one or both of the ball height adjuster 114 or the trajectory 160 as necessary to adjust the throwback unit 18 to the desired ball size and ball return trajectory.
Advantageously, this system and method provide a convenient baseball training system and method that provides a portable and collapsible collector 12 with a portable ball return or throwback unit 18. During use, a player may throw the ball 16 at the target 14. The ball 16 falls into the collection area 12a provided by the collector 12 and the angled floor 50 causes the ball 16 to be directed toward the aperture 68 in sidewall 71. The ball 16 falls onto the feed guide track or trench 92 (
The rotating wheel 24 cooperates with the guide 26 to return or throw the ball 16 back toward the player. In this regard, it should be understood that the throwback unit 18 may be coupled to the collector 12 with the latch 94 (
As mentioned earlier herein, the system 10 further comprises a speed sensor measure 76 (
Although not shown, a computer (not shown) may be coupled to sensor 76 to collect data regarding pitches thrown toward target 14.
Moreover, the system 10 may be provided with a ball load sensor 180 (
Advantageously, this system provides a convenient means and method for providing a portable throwback unit 18 that can be situated in operative relationship with a portable and collapsible collector 12. The throwback unit 18 can be adjusted to accommodate numerous ball sizes and can also be adjusted to return a ball along a pre-determined ball return trajectory. The baseball training system 10 can be used to return thrown balls to a player or multiple players by simply adjusting the location of the throwback unit 18. Also it is envisioned that the unit 18 can be used as a field training device such that the throwback unit 18 can be positioned to throw balls 16 along different trajectories and any desired angle of ball 16 return relative to the collector 12. Because the base 20 can be pivoted relative to the track 92, a trainer can use the grip 111 to adjust the position of the throwback unit 18 to direct it towards the player in the field. After the throwback unit 18 throws the ball 16 towards a first player, for example, the throwback unit 18 can be adjusted or moved so that it throws the ball 16 towards a second player in the field. For example, ground balls 16 may be thrown at a player in the infield or outfield who throws the balls 16 back toward target 14 and into the collection area 12a of collector 12, which again throws the balls to the player on the pre-determined or desired trajectory. Also, the trajectory can be altered as desired herein to throw line drives, shallow pop-ups, or ground balls.
While the system and method described herein constitute preferred embodiments of this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise system and method, and that changes may be made in either without departing from the scope of the inventions, which is defined in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A baseball training system comprising the following in combination:
- a collector having a target, said collector receiving and collecting baseballs thrown at said target by a baseball player;
- a throwback unit associated with an exit opening in said collector for receiving collected baseballs from said collector and for throwing said baseballs, one at a time, back to said baseball player, said collector having a floor for urging baseballs thrown at said target toward said exit opening in the collector;
- said throwback unit comprising: a base; a drive motor mounted on said base; a wheel driven by said drive motor; and a guide situated on the ground and adjacent to said exit opening for receiving baseballs passing through said exit opening, at least one of said wheel or said guide being adjustable to permit adjustment of a characteristic of said baseball training system; wherein said characteristic of said baseball training system comprises one of a throwback trajectory of a baseball thrown by the throwback unit or a baseball size for a baseball to be thrown back by the throwback unit; said throwback unit causing said baseballs that are thrown at said target to be thrown upward away from the ground and toward the baseball player: said collector further comprising a collapsible frame and at least one wheel rotatably mounted thereon to enable the collector to be moved.
2. The baseball training system as recited in claim 1 wherein said throwback unit comprises a baseball size adjuster coupled to at least one of said wheel or said guide for adjusting a relative distance between said wheel and said guide to accommodate baseballs having different circumferences.
3. The throwback system as recited in claim 1 wherein said system further comprises:
- a guide adjuster coupled to said guide for adjusting a position of said guide relative to said wheel in order to change a trajectory of a baseball thrown back to said player by said throwback unit.
4. The throwback system as recited in claim 3 wherein said system comprises:
- a motor mount on which said drive motor is mounted;
- a baseball size adjuster coupled to said wheel for adjusting a position of said wheel in response to a baseball size.
5. The throwback system as recited in claim 1 wherein said baseball size adjuster comprises:
- a motor mount on which said drive motor is coupled;
- a baseball size adjuster coupled to said wheel for adjusting a position of said wheel in order to move said wheel towards and away from said guide.
6. The baseball training system as recited in claim 4 wherein said adjuster comprising a rotatable crank for raising and lowering said wheel to said guide.
7. The baseball training system as recited in claim 2 wherein said baseball size adjuster comprises a preset gauge for receiving a baseball to be thrown back, said preset gauge gauging a size of said baseball so that when said baseball size adjuster is adjusted to a size of said baseball, a distance between said guide and said wheel is set, said distance generally corresponding to said size.
8. The baseball training system as recited in claim 2 wherein said system comprises an indicator for indicating a distance between said wheel and said gauge, said distance generally corresponding to a size of the baseball.
9. The baseball training system as recited in claim 1 wherein said guide comprises a track for guiding baseballs from said exit opening toward said wheel, said collector comprising a floor that is angled relative to the ground in order to direct baseballs toward said track of said throwback unit.
10. The baseball training system as recited in claim 1 wherein said throwback unit is portable and detachable from said collector.
11. The baseball training system as recited in claim 10 wherein said throwback unit comprises a handle and at least one throwback wheel rotatably coupled to said base to enable the throwback unit to be moved.
12. The baseball training system as recited in claim 1 wherein said throwback unit comprises a handle and at least one throwback wheel rotatably coupled to said base to enable the throwback unit to be moved.
13. The baseball training system as recited in claim 1 wherein said system comprises:
- a speed measure coupled to a front of the collector for measuring a speed of a baseball thrown at said target.
14. The baseball training system as recited in claim 1 wherein said speed measurer is mounted on said collector.
15. The baseball training system as recited in claim 1 wherein said collector comprises a floor that is angled relative to the ground in order to direct-balls baseballs to the throwback unit.
16. The baseball training system as recited in claim 1 wherein said throwback system comprises at least one wheel mounted on said base for moving said throwback system.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Mar 18, 2004
Date of Patent: Jun 27, 2006
Patent Publication Number: 20050209027
Assignee: Shoot-A-Way, Inc. (Upper Sandusky, OH)
Inventor: John G Joseph (Upper Sandusky, OH)
Primary Examiner: Mitra Aryanpour
Attorney: Jacox, Meckstroth & Jenkins
Application Number: 10/803,665
International Classification: A63B 69/00 (20060101);